Donald Trump insists he was '15 minutes early' for 'fantastic' Queen meeting at Windsor Castle

Donald Trump has said his meeting with the Queen went “fantastically well” and hit out at critics who claimed he was late and overstayed.

The American president said his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, bonded with the Queen over tea when the trio met at Windsor Castle in July.

Speaking during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Thursday night, in support of a Republican candidate for the US Senate, he condemned the media for being “fake, fake disgusting news” as he unleashed a torrent of grievances.

The US leader said his secret service did not “believe in being late”, adding: “So I was about 15 minutes early and I’m waiting with my wife and that’s fine. Hey, it’s the Queen, right? We can wait. But I’m a little early.

“So I then go up and meet the Queen and she is fantastic.

"We then go up and we have tea. And I didn’t know this, it was supposed to last for 15 minutes, but it lasted for like an hour because we got along. We got along.

“And she liked our First Lady and our First Lady liked her and I won’t talk about conversation because you’re not supposed to … but we got along fantastically well.

“And the time went by, you know like sometimes when you like somebody you get along – good chemistry – the time goes by.”

At the start of Mr Trump’s ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle the Queen arrived sometime before her guests.

With the Queen standing in readiness, many took her waiting as an indication that the president and his wife were late but their car arrived on schedule.

Mr Trump went on to say: “So I was late and I overstayed. But honestly, folks, it was such a beautiful, beautiful visit and afternoon.

“But they can make anything bad because they are the fake, fake, disgusting news.”

Meeting the Queen can be a daunting proposition that has left world leaders looking nervous in the past, and Mr Trump appeared a little flummoxed during the ceremonial welcome.

At one point he looked out of step with the choreography of inspecting the guard of honour – but once inside the Queen’s home, he was photographed grinning happily as he relaxed.

Body language expert Judi James said at the time of the visit: “He’s not trying to be cool at all. He’s obviously showing that he’s utterly delighted to be there with the Queen. He looks like a delighted child.”

Mr Trump also appeared to have some difficulty in deciding what to call the country he recently visited, telling the rally: “I have great respect for the UK, United Kingdom, great respect.

“People call it Britain, they call it Great Britain, they call it, they used to call it England, different parts.”